1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to toilet seat handles and more particularly to a handle for attachment to a toilet seat which is flexible and visible in the dark.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Toilet seats, by the very nature of use, are unsanitary as few people, if any, disinfect them after use. And, these seats are mounted to be raised and lowered. In raising and lowering, it is necessary for people to touch the seat. Thus, there have been a number of suggestions for toilet seat handles whereby the seats may be raised and lowered without fingers and hands of people raising and lowering, coming in contact with the toilet seat. However, many of these previously designed toilet seat handles did not find acceptance.
One early toilet seat issued to Adams, U.S. Pat. No. 1,999,555, teaches a deodorizing or disinfecting toilet seat handle of L-shaped design wherein one leg of the L is attached to the toilet seat and the other leg of the L is used as a handle to lift the seat. U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,401 to Nakajima teaches a removable toilet seat handle attached to the underside of the seat or lid wherein the handle portion includes a longitudinally extending cylindrically shaped rod portion as a means to lift the seat. U.S. Pat. No. 3,717,884 to Mantooth teaches a toilet seat handle wherein the lifting portion is a laterally projecting hand grip having top and bottom ribs in the form of a closed loop. U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,582 to Giallourkis teaches a sanitary seat handle that is made from a rigid material and includes a scent dispersing means therein. U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,251 teaches a toilet seat handle of unitary construction wherein the handle portion is a cylindrical member which projects outwardly beyond the periphery of the toilet seat. Moreover, this patent teaches the inclusion of a material that is visible in the dark in the handle portion. However, none of these references teach or recognize one major problem in their use. That is, when people come near to or are in contact with the toilet seat during use, invariably they rub their legs against or have their legs come in contact with the handle. In all instances the handles are of somewhat rigid construction and therefore, when people come in contact with them, they can receive bruises and cuts or at least experience same sort of discomfort from hitting or rubbing up against these outwardly extending portions of the toilet seat handle.